User:Chansonh/Eprapah Creek
Eprapah Creek is a small subtropical stream in the Redlands, Queensland in eastern Australia. The catchment area is about 40 km2 and the creek flows directly into Moreton Bay off the Pacific Ocean. Its location is (Longitude 153.30º East, Latitude -27.567º South). The tidal range is micro-tidal and the estuary is a drowned river valley type with a wet and dry tropical/subtropical hydrology. The estuarine zone is 3.8 km long, about 1–2m deep mid-stream, and about 20–30mwide. This is a relatively small, narrow, elongated and meandering channel with a crosssection which deepens and widens towards the mouth, and surrounded by extensive mudflats.
The water quality and ecology have been closely monitored at Eprapah Creek (Victoria Point QLD) over 30 years by Redland Shire Council, Queensland Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and local community groups. The creek was heavily polluted in 1998 by illegal discharges of tributyl-tin (TBT) and chemical residues. Although the estuarine zone includes two environmental parks, there are some marinas and boat yards, and a major sewage plant discharge that affect the natural system. The upstream catchment has been adversely affected by large-scale poultry farms, wineries, land clearance and semi-urban development. Recent works included the constructions of new shopping centres and residential lots less than 500 m from the estuary in 2003-04.